The risks of globalization [Archives:2008/1195/Community]
Anter Mohammed
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The liberal policies through which the term “globalization” works paint the future return of the distant past of capitalism, uprooting all of the achieved earnings of the working and middle classes.
However, it appears that this bleaker picture of the future will be retained by the brutal past of capitalism at the dawn of youth. If such a brutal effect continues regarding the same situation, life is going to go from worse to the worst.
Thus, we must contemplate current authors' assertions that within the next century, only 20 percent of the world's population will be able to work, make an income and live in peace and plenty.
The remaining 80 percent represents the proportion of the world population that will be without surplus in their daily requirements; consequently, they can't live on only charity donations and philanthropy. Of course, this is to the extent that society has become a burden, thus, no consideration will be given them.
The allegation that some type of inequality is inevitable is one of the most prominent policies upon which the concept of globalization depends.
On the exploitative level, the term “capital internationalism” is used, meaning that the holders of capital threaten to flee their capital unless governments respond to their demands, such as granting tax concessions to provide them infrastructure projects free of charge, canceling legislation allowing some gains for workers and the middle class, privatizing public enterprises and transferring public services previously operated by the government to the private sector, thereby giving them recourse.
Such internationalism no longer cares about society but about profits.
Some further maintain that globalization has led to the fusion of different economic types – rural, national and regional – to become the new term, “unified market.” A far cry from the sightseeing reality, we note that the bulk of the world has become separate islands comprising a world of misery and destitution.
Even the development aid given to developing nations has become a thing of the past, particularly after the end of the Cold War, the death of North-South dialogue and developing nations' entry into the blocked channel of foreign indebtedness.
As a result, the terminology that previously filled the arenas of thought and work, such as the Third World, emancipation, development and North-South dialogue, etc., is meaningless in the globalizing world.
Nearly all sectors have become lost in competition and struggle in order to reduce production costs, additionally being so severe upon the working element to decrease wages to the lowest possible level.
Even the blue-collar class is confined to the same as the above stated class, which helped their actions once machines replaced them. Above all, operations done by re-engineering basic tasks and expanded computer use could bring about dispensing tens of thousands of jobs and professions that have been performed by those in this sector.
As a part and extension of such policy, major computer programming corporations such as Motorola, Hewlett Packard, IBM, etc., began bringing in and replacing U.S. scientists with cheaper labor Indians. The best way for these companies to reduce their production costs was to transfer part of their activities to places like New Delhi.
Due to measures not taken to protect the transfer of goods and funding, this movement has blasted employment by throwing away work amid unemployment. Thus, globalization hasn't served the human aspect, but led to the existence of both social and physical differences.
Applying such policies has led to mounting social tensions against the owners of these exploitative companies. It also has increased social aberrations, the growth of crime and violence, the spread of drugs, demonstrations and sit-ins, boycotting elections, etc.
The solution to such tension and misery should lie with the state, which should redistribute income and adequately distribute the gains from increased national income so as to ensure the involvement of the majority of citizens and foster societal solidarity, which is the surest guarantee of continued support for pushing more market systems in industrial nations, thereby providing the best and most useful globalization.
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[archive-e:1195-v:16-y:2008-d:2008-10-02-p:community]
